


Unhappy

by remembertheginger



Category: RWBY
Genre: Agender Character, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-03-08
Packaged: 2018-05-25 13:57:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6197725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/remembertheginger/pseuds/remembertheginger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neptune isn't happy when Cardin misgenders Scarlet; Scarlet, of course, is mortified by Neptune's reaction. (Implied Poly SSSN)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unhappy

**Author's Note:**

> This work centers around the headcanon that Scarlet is agender.

“Sorry, what did you just call them?” Neptune looks incredulous as he stares down Cardin. Scarlet gives Neptune a pleading look, which Neptune ignores.

“I said he’s a fucking freak,” Cardin repeats, obviously unashamed (and not afraid enough of Neptune to back down). “No gender, my ass. You’re a guy, you were born a guy, and you should be proud to be one.”

“Neptune, please,” Scarlet tugs at their boyfriend’s shirt, trying desperately to get them out of here. “I don’t want to make a scene...”

He doesn’t look back at his datemate. “Sorry, Scar. At this point, the scene’s already made. I’m just gonna complete it.”

Placing their face in their hands, Scarlet lets out a small sigh and steps back. _Why do all of my boyfriends have to be so stubborn about this?_

Cardin laughs. “What are you gonna do, hit me? Oh, I’m so scared.”

_Crack_. Neptune is holding his hand now, refusing to cringe at the pain. Cardin, meanwhile, is staggered back, a hand to his jaw and a look of furious disbelief plastered across his ugly face. A crowd has started to gather at this point, forming a circle around the two. Scarlet is still close by, watching in nervous horror.

“So now you’re going to apologize to Scarlet for calling them a guy,” Neptune begins, but is cut off by Cardin charging towards him with a roar. He puffs out a small breath of air, sliding quickly out of Cardin’s way. Sun is easily the better fistfighter, but Neptune can usually hold his own. He anticipates Cardin’s change in direction and kicks him in the chest, a hard kick that stops him cold. Some of the crowd cheers.

Cardin drops to his knees, wheezing, and Neptune’s eyebrows lift as he puts his hands to his hips. “Okay, let’s give this a second try. Now you’re going to apologize to Scarlet for calling them a guy.” He looks around for Scarlet, finds them behind him, and gently pulls them forward before staring at Cardin again. “Go ahead, Winchester. They’re waiting.”

“Sorry for calling you a guy,” Cardin’s voice is still weak as he tries simultaneously to recover and not look like he’s in pain. It doesn’t fool anyone.

“Now you’re going to tell everyone that you can’t be bothered to get your head out of your ass long enough to realize first of all that there are more than two genders, and second of all that there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Cardin looks reluctant, but a crack of Neptune’s knuckles reminds him of the pain he just experienced. “Yeah. All of that.”

“Can we please go now,” Scarlet whispers, and though they refuse to fall apart in front of Cardin Winchester, Neptune knows they’re mortified and in possible danger of a breakdown once they’re somewhere private.

His face softens. “Yeah, let’s go.” He makes for Scarlet’s hand as the two begin to walk, but they twitch it away from him, and he feels kind of bad now.

They walk in silence all the way back to their dorm room, where Scarlet then goes and crawls into bed, curled away from Neptune, who sits on his own bed and waits for them to talk the way they always do.

“Why can’t you just listen when I ask you not to make a big deal out of this?” They sound so very tired. “I don’t want to be known for my team going out and beating up every ignorant asshole who talks to me.”

“You deserve better,” Neptune says simply, giving a moment for that to sink in before collecting the rest of his thoughts. “I’m not going to speak for Sun or Sage, but I firmly believe that people who actively insult you after you explain things are just the kind of people who learn best when it’s knocked into them.”

“He’s going to hate you and me both now, and that’s not good for the remains of the festival.” It almost seems like they’ve been practicing this. “But this happens everywhere. I don’t want it to. Please, please listen to me when I ask you not to fight people, especially on my behalf.”

“Okay,” Neptune agrees after a couple moments of thought. He doesn’t tell them that he’s going to continue to fight people who disrespect Scarlet when they’re not around. They don’t need to know that. “I won’t do that anymore.”

Scarlet finally rolls around to face him; they still look tired, but grateful now too. “Thank you, Neptune. I appreciate it.”


End file.
